Kange heater



Feb.y 24, -1942. L. A. ALTHoFF` 2,274,229

RANGE HEATER Filed Dec. 18, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 24, 1942.

L. A. ALTHOFF RANGE HEATER Filed Deo. 18, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 24, 1942 OFFICE RANGE HEATER Lawrence A. Althofl", Chicago, yIll. v Application December 1s, 1940, serial No. 370,702

solaims.

This invention relatesto a range heater, and more particularly to a heater device which can be readily converted into a cook stove.

In designing a heater, it is desired to `provide a structure which will effectively radiate heat vfrom the various portions thereof, including the sides, top, etc., so as to effectively and uniformly heat up the surrounding area. On the other hand, in designing a cook stove, it is desired to have the heat concentrated on the cooking top and with as little radiation as possible from the side walls of the stove so that the person cooking will not be made uncomfortable by the radiated heat.

An object of the present invention is to pro vide a `structure which may be utilized as a heater with uniform radiation of heat from its side walls, top, etc., and, when desired, readily converted into a cook stove with relatively small radiation of heat from the side walls and with a I concentration of heat in the upper cooking top. A further object is to provide an oil heater from which theiiame is drawn into a large combustion chamber and with a relatively shallow compartment at the top of the combustion chamber with means whereby the heated gases may be caused to radiate heat laterally when desired and, when desired, to concentrate the heat centrally upon the cooking top withlittle lateral radiation. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a broken vertical sectional view of a `heater-range embodying my invention; Fig. .2, a broken top plan view of the same with the cooking top removed; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional View of the upper portion of the range; and Fig. 4, a broken vertical enlarged sectional View showing the forward upper portion of the range.

. Inthe illustration given, A designates a frame; A

B, an oilburner; C, a cooking top; and D, a horizontal wall spaced below the cooking top.

The frame A may be of any suitable construction. Since the range structure itself is nearly all old in construction, a detailed description is believed unnecessary.` The frame A provides a base I0, a lower compartment I I in which the oil burner B is supported, and a combustion chamber I2 into which the burner B opens. The frame further provides on either side of the combustion chamber I2 vertical air passages I3 which have ropenings I4 at their top. Air enters the compartments I3 from the bottom and passes up.

along the sides of the combustion chamber I2 and thence outwardly through the openings I4.

At the top of the frame is a cooking top C which may be of the usual construction. At the rear of the cooking top is an outlet flue I5 which communicates with the'space below the cooking top.

The horizontal wall D extends across the top portion of the cooking top and provides between it and the ycooking top a circulation compartment. The plate D is provided with an opening I6 at its rear and on each side through which heated gases and flames may pass upwardly into the circulation compartment at the rear of the compartment. Forwardly of the opening I6 are a number of spaced openings I'I `through which the flame may pass directly upwardly into the upper compartment. The openings I'I are rectangular in shape and extend centrally along the plate and at aspaced distance from the sides of the plate. The openings I'I are controlled by a slide member I8 which is provided at its forward end with a handle I9, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, a stop 2Ul being'employed forengagement with the frame to stop the outward movement of the slide when theopenings are fully uncovered.

Within the circulation compartment and spaced from each of the sides is a pair of partition Walls 2|, each wall extending from the rear of the compartment and terminating at a point spaced from the front of the compartment. The walls are spaced apart from each other and provide a central passage 22 leading to the outlet flue I5. `On their outer sides, the passages provide circulation passages 23 which direct the ame and gases from the opening I6 forwardly of the partitions 2I and thence rearwardly through the central passage 22.

The front side of the frame is closed by a door 24 which conceals the slide or damper handle I 9. The forward top portion of the combustion wall frame is bent inwardly at 25, as shown inFig. 4, to provide a space for grasping the slide member I8.

Operation In the operation of the heater, the oil is introduced into the bottom'of the container B and alighted match or piece of paper is dropped into the burner. The oil burns, forming a flame which may be regulated to ll the chamber I2 and pass upwardly into the circulation compartair and flame pass through the openings I6 in the horizontal wall D and thence into the outer passages 23. Because of the balfles 2|, the ame and gases are directed forwardly and nally the heated gases pass rearwardly through passage 23 into the outlet flue. The recycling of the heated gases, as described, causes the utmost of lateral radiation and subjects the gases to a return movement tending to extract the units of heat therefrom. In this operation, the air within the compartments I3 is heated and passes outwardly through the top of the compartment, and there is also substantial radiation from the walls of the compartments I5. Thus, the heat generated within the combustion chamber is delivered laterally and upwardly and substantially uniformly radiated from the range. The heat is not localized, but instead is distributed from-the sides and top of the range.

When it is desired to use the range as `a cooking stove, the slide l-B is pulled forwardly into the positionA illustrated in Fig. 4. In thisposition, the name andi heated gases take the shortest route upwardly and through thev horizontal wal-l D. The flame is. directed' toward the: central portion of the cooking top. At the same time, the outer passages 23, which formerly were channels for swiftly moving heated' gases, now become relatively inactive and serve more as insulation layers between the heated gases along the side of the. circulating, compartment and the outside ofv therange. The partition walls 2l also serve as inner fire walls which confine the flame below the central portion of the cooking top. By

means of the partition walls 2l and the air layers in passages 2'3, there is very little tendency for the heat to escape laterally. The person cocking has the benefit of an extremely hot surface in the central portion of the cooking plate with- 'out at the same timer being rendered uncomfortable by theV l-ateral radiation of heat.

It will be noted that the structure is extremely simple and compact, -alarge combustion compartment being provided with a relatively small passage compartment at the top of the range and the control being effected through the sliding of a damper control at the front of the range. The air entering the compartments |'3 along the sides ofthe range may' do so at the bottom of the compartments or, if desired, openings in the lower 'sides of the compartment may be provided throughvwhich -air may be introduced.

While in the foregoing specification, I have vset forth certain details of structure for the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I` claim:

l. In -a range heater of the character set forth, a frame providing an oil burner chamber, a combustion chamber thereabove provided with an outlet nue, -a horizontal partition wall across the upper end of the combustion chamber, a cooking top spaced above said wall and providing a circulation compartment therebetween, a pair of spaced vertical partition walls within the circulation compartment and extending forwardly from the rear side thereof and terminating short of the front side thereof', said partition walls extending between the cooking top and said horizontal wall andl providing outer passages leading from the rear to the front of said circulation compartment and providing also a central passage leading rearwardly to the flue,v said horizontal wall being provided at its rear with openings establishing .communication between said outer passages and the chamber below and provided 'also with openings in a central portion between said partition walls, and a damper slide for closing and opening said last-mentioned openings.

2. In a range heater of the character set forth, a frame providing an oil burner chamber, a combustion chamber thereabove provided with an outlet iiue, a horizontal partition wall across the upper end of the combustion chamber, a cooking top spaced above said wall and providing a circulation compartment, Ia pair of spaced vertical partition walls in said circulation compartment extending forwardly from the rear side of the compartment and terminating short of the front. of the compartment, said horizontal wall being provided with openings at its rear outer corners to permit gases to rise into the circulating compartment from the chamber below, said horizontal wall also having a series of spaced central openings, and a damper for closing said centrally-spaced openings.

3. In a range heater of the character set forth provided with, a combustion chamber, a transverse wall extending across the upper side of said combustion chamber, a cooking top, a pair of vertical partition walls extending between said cooking' top and said horizontal wall and providing outer circulation passages and an inner passage leading rearwardly to an outlet, said horizontal wall having openings establishing communication between the rear portion of the outer passages andthe chamber therebelow and having also an opening between said vertical partition walls, and damper means for closing and opening the opening in the horizontal wall between said partition walls.

4. In a range heater of the character set forth provided with Ia combustion chamber, a transverse wall extending across said combustion chamber, la cooking top spaced above said transverse chamber and providing therebetween a circulation chamber, said circulation chamber being provided centrally with an outlet, a pair of partition walls extending on opposite sides 0f Said outlet forwardly but terminating short of the front of the circulation compartment, said partition walls providing outer passages and an inner central passage-communicating with said outlet, said transverse wall having openings establishing communication between the rear of said outer passages and combustion chamber below, said transverse wall having also spaced openings therein between said vertical partition walls, and damper means for closing and opening said last- -mentioned openings. l

5. In a range heater of the character set forth,

a frame providing an oil chamber and a combustion chamber thereabove provided with an outlet flue, a transverse wall across the upper end of the combustion chamber provided with openings at the reary and with central spaced openings, a cooking top spaced above said transverse wall, a pair of spaced vertical partition walls extending from the rear side of the frame but terminating. shortv of the-front thereof and Vprovided with outer passages communicating withsaid rear openings in the transverse wall, and damper means for controlling the centralI openings in said transverse wall between said vertical partition walls.

LAWRENCE A. ALTHOFF. 

